Display rack



May 17, 1950 R. L. SINCLAIR DISPLAY RACK 3 Sheets-Shee 1 Filed June 9,1958 \NVENTOR Robert Z. Sine/air ATTORNEYS R. L. SINCLAIR DISPLAY RACKMay 17, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1958 INVENTOR Robert 1.. SinHair ATTORNEYS R. L. SINCLAIR DISPLAY RACK May 17, 1960 Filed June 9,1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Robert L. Sinclair ATTORNEY5 DISPLAY RACKRobert L. Sinclair, Dedham, Mass., assignor to The Gillette Company,Boston, Mass., a corporation of Dela-.

ware

Application June 9, 1958, Serial No. 740,881 14 Claims. (Cl. 211-86) Thepresent invention relates to racks for displaying merchandise and moreparticularly to a new and-improved display rack adapted to beconveniently attached to and detached from a counter, a cash registerpanel, other types of display racks and the like in a retail storeorself-service market.

The location of display of certain articles offered for sale in aself-service store or market has a great bearing upon the sales of sucharticles. Thus it has been found that articles displayed near thecheckout points or the counters of a store are sold in much greaternumbers than are the same articles displayed in substantially the samemanner in other parts of the store. 1 This may in part be due to thefact that people while walking through the store, more or less follow acourse dictated by their shopping lists and tend to select only thearticles marked downfor purchase. However, articles displayed at thecheckout points will catch the eye of all of thecustomers who oftenselect items from such displays while waiting to be" processed whetheror not they actually have an immediate" need for them or have them ontheir shopping list. Forthis reason display space at or near thecheckout points is considered very desirable and is, subject to rivalrybetween the manufacturers. The store itself, of course, prefers to haveas many difierent kinds of articles as possible particularly of the kindthat has a rapid turnover, displayed at or near the checkout pointsaudit has been. the practice to reserve this preferred space forarticles such as cigarettes, candies, gum, small itemssecured tocardboards and other articles of this general character that may easilybe stored and displayed on racks and selected by the consumer whilewaiting at the checkout points.

Another important reason for having articles of small size at thecheckout points is that such articles are inherently subject topilferage and are easily slipped into a persons pockets or pocketbook,either inadvertently or by convenient inattention, or removed from itspackage and concealed without being noticed while walking through thestore. This is particularly true of items such as cigarettes, candies,drug items sold in small containers, and small items like pens, razorblade 1 packages and razors attachedto cardboards supported on displayracks. Pilferage may amount to a considerable percentage of the profitsfrom the sales of such items and for this reason both the manufacturersand the proprietors of the stores prefer to keep items subject toconcealment and pilferage at or near the checkout points.

Accordingly, one object of my present inventionis to provide a novel andversatile merchandise display rack capable of being placed in any one ora number of different positions at or about the counter or checkoutpoints in stores and self-service markets. i

' Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and .versatileadvertising and display rack of the pegboard type. f Another object ofthe invention is to provide a novel display and merchandising rack thatcan be securedto I 2,935,902 Patented May 17, 196D .2 I cash registersor be attached to various types of other racks. v v f I Asfurther objectof the invention is to provide a novel advertising and display rack thatcomprises a base capable of being stably secured to various objects orsupported on a flat surface and'adapted to support a display panel invarious positions depending upon the location of the base. A stillfurther object of the invention is to provide a novel and versatiledisplay rack of the pegboard type, particularly adapted to displayarticles attached to cardboard.

' Other objects and advantages of the present invention willb'e-apparent from the following description of an illustrativeembodimentthereof when considered-with the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a rack in accord ance with myinvention with a portion of a cash register to which it is attachedshown in dashed lines; Fig. 2 is a perspective rear view of the rackshown in Fig. 1 supported on a flat surface;

, Fig. 3 is a rear view of the base or clamping assembly of the rack;

FigJ4 is a segmentary top view of the clamping arrangement of the base;

Fig-5 is an exploded view of the frame clamp;

' Figs} 6 to 8, inclusive, show constructional details of same assigneeas the present application. The stub shafts the panel supporting frame;

Fig. 9 shows the panel and panel supporting frame-of the rack attachedto a wire type display rack; Fig. 10 is a segmentary view of the rackattached to a wire stand; i Fig. 11 is a segmentary view of the displayrack showing alternate positions of the panel supporting frame withrespect to the base; and

' Fig. 12 isa front view of the rack with the base attached to the topof a cash register indicated in dotted line with'the' display panel ofthe rack disposed below the base.

The rack in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figs. 1and 2 as comprising a panel section 10 supported by means of agenera-llyinverted U-shaped wire frame or stand 11 detachablysecured to a base orclamping assembly 12 The base 12 comprises an elongated horizontal ad-fvertising dis'playpanel 13; rigidly secured to the bottom" channelmember 14 extend rearwardly from the panel 13 in'spaced, parallelrelation as better shown in Fig. 3 and furnish a convenient mounting fortwo pairs of spaced" stub shafts 17 and 18 journaled for rotationabout'vertical axes in vertically aligned openings in the flanges, the'stub shafts 18 being disposed between and soniewhat'rearwardly of theshafts 17. Each of the stub shafts '17 is formed integrally with ahorizontally extending clamping No. 660,540 filed May 21, 1957, andentitled Detacha ble Display Rac which application is assigned'to the 17and 18 are swaged at zl above'the flange 15 to prevent them from slidingthrough the openings therein. Each of the clamping members 19 is formedfrom a single rod comprising the vertical stub shaft 17, a horizontalshank 22 extending substantially at right angles therefrom and adownwardly extending leg 23 covered by a protective sleeve 24 made ofrubber or a resilient plastic material. The clamping members 19 swingabout the respective stub shafts 17 in a horizontal plane between aposition whereinthey extend substantially at right-angles rear-' wardlyfrom the plane of the plate 13 to a position outof a channel member 14.The flanges 15 and 16 of the wardly against the channel. member 14 asindicated by the arrows in Fig, 3. Each of the locking bars. 20 isformed from a flat steel strip rigidly secured as by welding to adownwardly extending portion of one of the stub shafts 18and terminates.in an outwardly bent car 25. provided with opening 26 for slidablyreceiving the shank 22'0f the clamping member 19. This constructionpermits the clamping members 19 and the loeking bars 29 to swing abouttheir respective axes with the. shank 22 of each of the clamping members19- sliding freely through the opening 26 in the ear 25 of the adjacentlocking bar 20.

Inorder to lock the clamping member 19 in preselected positions withrespect to the channel member 14, an eye.

bolt 27, Fig. 4, is provided whose eye 28 encircles the: shank 22 of theclamping member and whose threaded shank 29. passes through an opening30 in the locking bar 20. A wing nut 31 is threaded on the shank 29 ofthe eye bolt for drawing the latter against the clamping member 19 toprevent relative movements between the clamping member and the lockingbar 20. Whenthe wing nut 31' is loosened so as to free the eye bolt 27,the interconnected members 19 and 20 may again be swung freely abouttheir respective axes.

The base 12 is also provided with a pair of supporting and clamping legs34 and 35 disposed at opposite ends of the channel member 14 andextending through the flanges 15 and 16 thereof. Protective sleeves 36of resilient material such as rubber cover the legs 34 and 35. Anintegral upper extension of each of the legs 34 and 35 is bent outwardlyinto a rectangular loop that includes a vertical. panel frame supportingsection 37, disposed on the outside of. the display plate 13, and aninwardly ex.- tending termination 38. The legs 34 and 35 are rigidlysecured to the channel member 14 by means of swagin-g or welding, forexample.

. The. frame 11 includes at each end a substantially horizontal clampsupporting section 40, Fig. 2, from which an arm 41 extends atsubstantially right angles upwardly and inwardly to a point below thetop edge of the panel from where it curves downwardly to a horizontalpanel supporting bridging section 42. The arms 41 and the section 42. ofthe frame lie in a common plane.

- The construction of the clamps 39 and the manner in which they aresecured to theclamp supporting section 40 of the frame 11 areillustrated in the exploded view of Fig. 5. Each of the clamps 39includes two cooper.- ating clamping plates 46 and 47 pivotally mountedon a bracket 48 and adapted to clamp the section 37 of the extension ofthe base leg 34 therebetween. A threaded shank 49 which may be part of ascrew passing through a hole in the plate 47 and rigidly secured theretoas by welding or brazing, for example, extends outwardly from this plateand passes through an opening 50 in the plate 4.6. The vertical section37 of the base leg 34 is received within a channel 51 formed along onevertical edge of the plate 47. The plate 46 is pivotally mounted on thebracket 48by means of a loose rivet 52. The upper horizontal end 48 ofthe bracket 48 is bent over the horizontal clamp supporting-section 40of the frame 11 so as to form a firm support therefor while permittinglimited angular movements therebetween. The plates 46 and 47 are clampedtogether by means of a wing nut 53 which screws on the shank 49 to gripthe section 37 ofthe leg 34 disposed in the channel 51 securely betweenthese.

plates. The rear edge'of the bracket 48 is formed with a recess 54against which the shank 49 normally abuts to limit the rearward rotationof the frame 11 about the pivot rivet 52 and thus fix the rearward tiltof the frame. A

stud 55 rigidly secured in the plate 46 passes through a slot 56 in theplate 47 for maintaining the plates in alignment and is provided with ahead 57 for limiting the separationbetween these plates at that point.

Secured to the horizontal panel supporting section 42 cf the stand 11 isa pair of spaced hanger lugs 58 60.

structed as better shown in Fig. 8. Each hanger lug 58 includesidentical, generally T-shaped latching ears 59 that extend in bothdirections from asleeve 80 which is rigidly secured to the panelsupporting section 42. Each of the latching cars 59 extends outwardly ina direction substantially normal to the plane of the arms 41 and thebridging section 42 of thefrarne 1.1. The latching cars 59 are adaptedto cooperate with inverted T-shaped openings 60 in the display panel 10to permit the panel to be mounted on either side of the stand and at aplurality of levels. The i -shaped openings 60 are arranged in pairsspaced apart by a distance corresponding to the distance between thehanger lugs 58. The latching ear 59 is adapted to pass. through thehorizontal slot 61 of the T-shaped opening .60 whereupon the narrow neck62 of the car will be received by the vertical slot 63 to lock the panelsecurely in place as indicated in dotted lines to support the panel asshown in Fig. l. The panel 10 is in the embodiment illustrated hereinprovided with a pair of openings 60 in the upper half of the panel and apair of openings 60 in the lower half thereof to permit the panel to besupported in two different positions on each side of the stand with thestand extending upwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or downwardly andinverted with respect to the hanger lugs as shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 2shows the panel 10 supported by the upper pair of open ings 60, Fig. 9shows the panel supported by the lower pair of openings. and Fig. 12shows the panel supported on the other side of the frame with the panelsupported" below the base 12.

For the purpose of supporting merchandise on the front of the panel 10,I provide a structure for releasably mounting a plurality of rows ofwire hangers 65, Figs. 6-

and7. Each wire hanger 65 is formed from a single wire shaped in theform shown in Fig. 6 to provide a pair of outwardly extendingupwardly-hooked arms 66 for sup porting merchandise such asv smallarticles attached to cards 67, for example, as indicated in Fig. 10.Each hanger is releasably supported by a hanger support 63 by means of agenerally U-shaped bight 69, the upstanding legs of which are bentoutwardly to form the arms. 66.. Each of the hanger supports 68comprises a fiat metal strip having inturned longitudinal. edges 70 thatabut the face of the panel 10. The top edge 70 of each of the, hangersupports 69 is provided with spaced, cut-out sec.-v tions 71 adapted toreceive the bights 69 of the hangers 65. The supports 68 are attached tothe panel 10 by means of a plurality of rivets 72disposed between thecutouts 71. Inwardly extending dimples 7 3..are provided. above thebottom flange 70 and centered with respect to. the cutouts 71 fordetachably clamping the horizontal portions of the bights 69 in place asindicated in Fig. 7 to prevent inadvertent dislodgment of the hangerswhen articles are removed therefrom while permitting forceable removalthereof for dismantling purposes.

It will thus be seen that each of the bights 69 are re-i leasablyretained within the hanger support 68 in such a position that the freearms 66 extend substantially per, pendicularly outwardly from the panel10. The .outer extremities of the arms 66 are bent at a slight angle up:wardly to prevent articles supported thereon from slid ing 013?. Thehangers 65 are particularly well adapted to support merchandise secured,to cardboards 67 provided with either a single hole or a pair of holesspaced apart by a distance equal to the distance between the pair ofarms 66 in the manner indicated in Fig. 10.. It will be appreciated thata stack of such merchandise carrying cards may be supported on each armor pair of arms 66.- The panel-10. is illustrated as being provided withtwo. horizontal hanger supports 68 spaced vertically by a dis. tancedepending on the size of the merchandise cards intended to be displayedthereon. It will be understood that although two hangersupports 68 areshown in the -illus-.- trated embodiment only a single one or morethantwo; may be employed if desired.

The panel is preferably of'such size that the side edges thereof willintersect the inwardly and upwardly slanting portions 41 of the frame 11as shown in Fig. 2, and upwardly to where it will completely obscure theintermediate portions of the frame whether it is supported by the upperor lower pair of openings 60. The portions of the frame that extendabove and below the bridging panel supporting section 42 of the framemaintain the panel 10 in the desired position, which is usuallysubstantially vertical or somewhat tilted rearwardly.

The stand in accordance with the present invention described above isadapted to be clamped on top of a cash register 75 shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1 which is of a type used in most super markets andself-seivicestores, with the flat bottom edges of the locking bars 20resting on the top surface of the register and the supporting legs 34and 35 and the clamping legs '23 of the clamping members 19 locked inpressing engagement against the front and rear faces of the register,respectivelyQor supported by means of the legs 23, 34 and 35 standing ona flat surface such as a counter as illustrated in Fig. 2. In

,the event that the space above the cash register is obstructed or if itfor some reason is objectionable to have the display panel extend abovethe register, the panel may be supported below the amount indicatingwindow 76 in the cash register as illustrated in Fig. 12 by attachingthe frame 11 to the base 12 in the manner indicated in dotted lines inFig. 11. Fig. 11 the clamps 39 and the frame 11 are rotated 180 degreesso that the clamps 39 extend forwardly from the base 12 and on each sideof the advertising panel 13 whereby the frame '11 will extend downwardlyin front of the base. With the stand. extending downwardly in thisfashion, the merchandise displaying panel 10 is attached to the latchingears 59 of the panel supports 58 that extended rearwardly when the panelwas supported in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. j

' It will be seen from Fig. 10 that the adapted to be supported on andclamped to a wire stand 78 which is of a type often found inself-service markets for displaying certain types of merchandise. Thelocking bars 20 of the base 12 rest on the horizontal wires that extendalong the top of the wire stand and the base is secured in place byclarnping the stand between the front legs '34, 35 and the clamping legs23 as described herein above.

The stand in accordance with a present invention is thus a counter (Fig.'2); on a ledge such as that presented by the top of a cash registereither with the merchandise.

display panel supported above the ledge (Fig. l), or in front of andbelow the ledge, Fig. 12; and on other structures of such dimensionsthat a supporting surface may be found between the supporting legs 34and 35 of the base of the clamping legs 23 (Fig. 10)., I

Fig. 9 illustrates how the merchandise display panel 10 and thesupporting frame 11 may be used in combination with other types ofdisplay stands'without the base 12. Thus any display stand that has twoupstanding vertical rods of such size as to be capable of being clampedin the clamps 39 and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to thedistance between the clamps may serve as a base for the display panel.For example, a display stand 80, Fig. 9, which is of a type often foundin self-service stores, has parallel, vertically extending sidesupporting rods 81 spaced apart by a distance correspondingto thedistance between the clamps 39 and will serve asa base for the frame 11and the panel 10. The stand 80 is usually placed on the counter-in frontof a cash register 82 and is designed so that the merchandise displayedthereon will not obscure the amount indicating window 83 thereof. Thedisplay panel will be supported above the top surface of the cashregister by engaging the panel supports 58 in the lower pair of openings60. The arms 41'of the frame 11 are resilient and the spacingthereasst-mas l between can be changed to accommodate supporting rodsspaced apart by different distances. The pivotal mounting of the clamps39 on the sections 40 will. permit the.

clamps to align themselves with vertical rods as the arms base 12 isalso 41 of the frame 11 are either brought closer together or movedfurther apart.

It will be appreciated from the above descriptionthat the variousobjects of the invention set forth are accomplished by thedevice'diselosed. It will also be appreciated that the'stand disclosedherein may be used in other locations and for uses" other than thosespecifically illustrated herein and is of great versatility and utility.

Obviously various changes may be made in the constructional details ofthe display rack disclosed herein without departing from the true spiritand scope of my invention. Therefore, it should be understood that theembodiment of my'invention shown and described is intended to beillustrative rather than restrictive.

The present application'constitutes a continuation-inpart of my priorapplication Serial No. 660,540 filedMay 21, 1957.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detailanillustrative embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

' 1. In a display rack, a base comprising a horizontal member includingrearwardly projecting flanges, a pair of .fixed rods mounted in saidflanges and extending down wardly therefrom, a pair of clamping armshaving terminal portions generally parallel with said rods and piv-'otally mountedin said flanges'for swinging movements toward and awayfrom said rods, and locking means connected toeach clamping arm, saidrods extending up-' wardly and outwardly of said member and includingvertical sections spaced outwardly on each side of said member, agenerally inverted U-shaped panel supporting frame including anintermediate horizontal bridging portion and arms extending upwardly andcurved downwardly and outwardly to points substantially below saidbridging portion in a substantially common plane, said arms terminatingin clamp supporting sections extending at substantially right anglesforwardly from said plane, rod clamping means secured to each of saidclamp supporting sections for limited rotational movement thereabout,said clamping means including means for engagingrespective ones of isaid vertical sections'of said rod extensions, spaced panel supportinglatching means on said bridging section of said frame extending inopposite directions from said plane, means on saidpanel cooperating withsaid latching means for releasably supporting said panel on said frame,and means on said panel to detachably secure a plurality of merchandisesupporting hangers thereon.

2. In a display rack, a base including a pair of 'horizontally spaced,rigid, vertical rod sections, a generally inverted U-shaped panelsupporting frame including an' intermediate horizontal bridging portionand resilient arms extending upwardly and curved downwardly andoutwardly to pointssubstantially below said bridging portion in asubstantially common plane, said arms terminating in clamp supportingsections extending at's ubstantially right angles forwardly'from saidplane, rod clamping means secured to each of said clamp supportingsections for limited rotational movement thereabout, said clamping meansincluding means for engaging respective ones of said vertical rodsections, spaced panel supporting latching lugs on said bridging sectionof said frame extending forwardly from said plane thereof, means on saidpanel for releasably receiving said lugs and supporting said panel onsaid frame, and means on said panel to detachably secure a plurality ofmerchan dise supporting'hangers thereon. i

arms having terminal portions generally parallel with a d ds a dri tallymounted i d fia gestn sw n ons mo ements tow d n ay r an. ro s, thelower ends of said rods and said terminal portions lying n a mm n, u s ny h r zonta plane, nd loc ing means connected to each clamping arm,-saidrods having upward and outward extensions and including verticalsections disposed on each side of said channel mb an nte al pan l s ppti ame including an intermediate horizontal bridging portion and armsextending generally downwardly and outwardly and tel? minating in clampsupporting sections at substantially right angles forwardly from theplane of ,said'arms, clamping means secured to each of said clamp,supporting sections, said clamping means including means en-.

gaging respective ones of said vertical sections of the od ext si ns,cooper t n p ne ppor ng lat hin means-0.11 aid bridgi g c on f i fram ndn aid panel for releasably supporting said panel on, said frame, andmeans on said panel for detachably securing a plurality of merchandisesupporting hangers thereon 4. In a display rack the combination of abase com-' prising a, rigid elongated frame structure, spacedfixed legssecured to said frame structure and extending downwardly therefrom, andclamping means swing-ably mounted on said frame structure arranged toengage a fixed o je in ppo iti n t s i fi legs incl in locking means toapply continuous engaging pressure to the, object, a frame, meanssecuring said frame to said base, a panel, means. releasably attachingsaid panel to said frame for maintaining said panel in substantiallyvertical position above said base, and means on said panel forreleasably engaging a plurality of merchandise supporting hangers. s

5. in; a display rack the combination of a base comprising a rigidelongated frame structure, a pair of spaced fixed legs secured to saidframe structure and extending downwardly therefrom, and a pair ofadjustable legs swingably mounted on said frame structure and arrangedto-cooperate with said fixed legs to support said base on a. fiat,horizontal surface, a frame, means detachably securing said frame inupright position'to said base, a

panel, means releasably attaching said panel to said frame formaintaining said panel in substantially vertical position above saidbase, and means on said panel for releasably engaging a plurality ofmerchandise supportng, h ng rs- 6. In a display rack the combination ofa base com prising a rigid elongated frame structure, spacedfixed legssecured to said frame structure and extending downwardly therefrom, anda pair of clamping and supporting legs swingably mounted on said framestructure arranged to engage a fixed object in opposition to said fixedlegs, said fixed legs and said clamping and supporting legs erm natingin a ommon, ubstanti ly h iz n a p a locking mean connected to saidclamping and supporting legs for locking the latter in selectedpositions with respect to said fixed legs, a frame, reversible-clampingmeans for clamping said frame to said base selectively to extendupwardly above and downwardly in front of,

said base, cooperating latching means on said panel and on said frameforsupporting said panel reversely selectively on the front of said frameand on the back of said frame,

7. in a display rack the combination of a base compris ng a igi e on edfram structure, spaced fixe egs. secured tes d fr me structure a eending downean t eref an ampi g rm in a ly mount sai imag st cture havng e t al g to ngage-a an. object in oppo t n to sa d fixed g includinglocking z nea'ns for applying continuous engaging pressure to the.object, a frame-clamping means de- Hahn, clamping said frame to saidbase to extend down ardly in front of saidfbase and in front of theobject, a panel, means releasably securing said panel to, said frame formaintaining said panel in substantially vertical. position below saidbase, and means on S id Panel releasably engaging a plurality ofmerchandise supporting hangers.

.8. In combination, a stationary supporting base having a pair ofspaced, vertically extending rods each connected to a vertical section,a generally inverted U- shaped frame member including a bridging panelsupporting section and downwardly extending arms terminatingin clampsupporting sections extending from said arms at about right angles, aclamp on each of said sections including means for engaging the verticalsections of said rods to support said frame in an upright position onsaid rods, said clamps being pivotally mounted on said clamp supportingsections and said arms being sufliciently resilient to accommodate rodsof different spacings, and latching means on said panel supportingsection for detachably supporting a merchandise dispiay panel.

9. In combination, a stationary supporting base including a pair ofspaced rods each connected to a vertical section, a frame memberincluding a bridging'panel supporting section and downwardly extendingarms terminating in'clamp supporting sections, a clamp on each of saidsections including means for engaging the vertical sections of said rodsto maintain said frame supported in an upright position on said rods,said clamps being adjustably mounted on said clamp supporting sectionsand said arms being sulficiently resilient to accommodate rods ofdilferent spacings, and latching means on said panel supporting sectionfor detachably supporting a merchandise display panel. 7

10. In combination, a generally inverted U-shaped frame member includinga bridging panel supporting section and downwardly extending armsterminating in clamp supporting sections extending from said arms atabout right angles, a clamp on each of said arms including means forengaging a pair of horizontally spaced rods to maintain said framesupported in an upright position thereon, said arms being sufiicientlyresilient to accommodate rods, of dilferent spacings, and latching meanson said panel supporting sectionr'or detachably supporting a merchandisedisplay panel.

11. A merchandise rack comprising a horizontal member includingrearwardly projecting flanges, a pair of fixed rods mounted in saidflanges and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of clamping armshaving terminal portions generally parallel with said rods and pivotallymounted in said flanges for'swinging movements toward and away from saidrods, and locking means connected to each clamping arm, a panel, a panelsupporting frame including a pair of upstanding supporting arms,clamping means mounted on each of said supporting arms, rigid clampattaching means on each end of said member, said clamping means beingclamped to respective ones of said clamp attaching means to support saidframe in an upright position, spaced panel supporting lugs rigidlymounted on said frame, lug receiving means on said panel cooperatingwith said lugs for detachably retaining said panel on said frame, aplurality of merchandise hangers including merchandise supporting arms,hanger support on one face of said panel including resilient. latchingmeans for releasably supporting said hangers on said panel with saidarms extending outwardly therefrom.

12. In combination, a generally inverted U -shaped frame memberincluding a bridging panel supporting secoifset, generally U-shapcdbig-ht, a hanger support on said panel comprising an elongated striphaving inturned longitudinal side edges in engagement with the face ofsaid panel and horizontally disposed thereon, the upper side edge havingcut-out portions receiving the bights of said hangers, and means on saidstrip resiliently engaging the top portion of said bight to detachablyretain said hangers in merchandise supporting positions with said armsextending outwardly from the face of said panel.

13. In combination, a generally inverted U-shaped frame member includinga bridging panel supporting section and downwardly extending armsterminating in clamp supporting sections extending from said. arms atabout right angles, a clamp on each of said sections including means forengaging a pair of spaced rods. to maintain said frame supported in anupright position on said rods, said arms being sufficiently resilient toaccommodate rods of different spacings, a merchandise display panel,latching means on said panel supporting section for detachablysupporting said panel, said latching means comprising a pair of-spacedhanger-lugs rigidly mounted in spaced relation on said bridging panelsupporting section, each of said lugs including a latching ear having arestricted neck portion extending forwardly and rearwardly of said framemember, said panel having a plurality of rows of inverted T-shapedopenings spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the distancebetween said lugs, the horizontal portions of said openings receivingsaid ears and the vertical portions of said openings slidably receivingthe restricted neck portions of said ears whereby said panel isreversibly mountable on said panel supporting section on opposite sidesthereof.

14. A merchandise rack comprising a horizontal member includingrearwardly projecting flanges, a pair of fixed rods mounted in saidflanges and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of clamping armshaving terminal sections generally parallel with said rods and pivotallymounted in said flanges for swinging movements toward and away from saidrods, said rods and said arms tenninating in a substantially commonplane, and locking means connected to each clamping arm, a panel, apanel supporting frame including a pair of upstanding supporting armsconnected by a bridging section, clamping means mounted on each of said,arms, rigid clamp attaching means on each end of said member, saidclamping means being clamped to respective ones of said clamp attachingmeans to support saidframe in an upright position,

and extending forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, lug

receivingmeans on said panel cooperating with said lugs for detachablyretaining said panel on said frame, a plurality of merchandise hangersincluding merchandise supporting arms, a hanger support on one face ofsaid panel comprising vertically spaced, horizontal channel membersincluding resilient latching means for releasably supporting saidhangers on said panel with said arms extending outwardly therefrom inparallel rows.

References Cited in the file of this patent spaced panel' supportinglugs rigidly mounted on said bridging section,

